The U.S. State Department, the oligarchy and the Venezuelan right, together with the regional and European right have not let up in their attempt to destroy the enormous achievements accomplished by the Bolivarian Revolution of Venezuela and the Government of Nicolas Maduro.

The main objective that drives them, constantly and permanently, is to put into practice various methods of war in order to take control of the vast natural resources of the country, especially oil. Since Chavez, all those resources have been put in the hands and stewardship of the Venezuelan people.

It is the first time in two hundred years of history that this has happened, thanks to the emancipatory and anti-imperialist efforts of Commander Hugo Chávez – a direction continued by the Government of Maduro. The oil income is now at the disposal of huge projects aimed at benefiting those who were always forgotten and humiliated; the people, workers, farmers, blacks and native people.

Also for the first time in the history of Venezuela, illiteracy has been eradicated; more than 1,500,000 affordable homes have been built, education, culture and sports now reaches every corner and mountain top of the country and is no longer just a privilege to be enjoyed by the rich. Women have recaptured their dignity and today they occupy important positions at all levels of the life of the country, including the armed forces. Social missions have been multiplied to give a roof, work and land to those who never had anything.

The generosity of Chavez did not forget a single Latin American. His work and vision changed the map of Latin America and the Caribbean. Along with the resistant and blockaded Cuban Revolution, the solidarity of Fidel and Chavez carried out the largest and most beautiful feats of the century. It was not just Venezuela and Cuba, but all poor people of the Americas. In just a few years, through Operación Milagro and the literacy program Yo Si Puedo, millions of poor Latin American and Caribbean were able to see, read and write.

Regional bodies of integration such as Mercosur strengthened, progressive governments in the region and were supported so they could put an end to the historical dependence on the IMF and the World Bank. It was a clear and loud message of NO MORE that was sent to the FTAA and in that ALBA, UNASUR and the Bank of the South were born. Huge efforts were made to start the dialogue of peace between the Colombian Government and the FARC, which, after five years of talks, ended 50 years of war in that country.  For the first time in history a regional body without the presence of imperialism was created in January of 2014 in Havana when CELAC was born declaring Latin America and the Caribbean a „Zone of Peace“.

All of this was accomplished in less than two decades when there was not really a moment of true peace. Imperialism just could not stand what was happening.

So they plotted and invented a humanitarian crisis, by urging the Venezuelan right and the oligarchy to hide and destroy food and medicine while the imperialists themselves prevented shipments of these vital items. They gave cover to the cowardly terrorist imperialist right who have systematically refused to engage in dialogue while failing to organize even one „peaceful demonstration“ that even remotely matched the size that the legitimate government of Maduro has been able to bring together.

Instead they have resorted to the most inhumane extreme tactics by funding, providing and sponsoring mercenaries that kill in the most horrendous ways any young man who looks like they could be a supporter of Chavez. Many times the color of their skin is enough to be set on fire.

It has been one hundred days of declared war during which an unconstitutional referendum and a so-called parallel government of the „opposition“ took place. They have even begun to organize and appointing a future government with absolutely no constitutional basis.

The Trump administration has threatened Venezuela with severe sanctions if it does not desist from conducting the upcoming Constituent Assembly. Meanwhile the lap dog of the empire, Luis Almagro, who heads the Organization of American States (OAS) has demanded a „humanitarian“ intervention by the United States. One with the same humanity of those interventions into Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and Syria that has left millions dead and still counting. The sniveling right wing governments of the region and Europe are pathetically joining the choir.

Imperialism, along with its servants and allies are pulling out all the stops to prevent the realization of the Constitutional Assembly taking place on July 30 which is the largest and most significantly representative exercise any nation could conduct. Basically Maduro is putting his trust in the people by empowering them to defeat the fascist coup. No wonder the imperialist are so hell bent on stopping it.

The Empire and the retrograde right fear the Constituent Assembly because it will be the most genuine expression of people power. To support it is not only to defend the sovereign right of the Bolivarian people to decide their own fate in peace. It is also to preserve ours.

We make a call to all our friends in the solidarity movement, to the committees all over the world that for a long time have supported the Cuban Revolution and other people’s struggle, the honest men and women, to be permanently alert and mobilized to denounce the imperial right that will attempt to impede the vote to the Constituent Assembly.

This week, on July 28, will mark the 63^rd birthday of Hugo Chavez and July 26 will be the 64^th anniversary of Fidel’s assault on the Moncada Barracks; the best way we can pay tribute to these two heroes of our time is to renew our commitment to the Cuban and Bolivarian Revolutions and their right to exercise their sovereign right to life, peace and dignity.

July 24, 2017